Is a crackdown on finfluencers necessary? Dhirendra Kumar answers

Regulating finfluencers, or online advisors, will be a challenge for SEBI, says Dhirendra Kumar, CEO of Value Research. Finfluencers have gained influence thanks to technology and the democratisation of the media. To address the issue, they should disclose their relationships with stakeholders, says Kumar. However, it will be challenging to separate those with competence from those with malafide interests. He urges investors to assume they could be fooled and to seek rationale and explanation before investing in a financial product.